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Man sentenced in kidnapping
YOUNGSTOWN
A city man will spend the next decade in prison for sticking a gun in the mouth of his girlfriend and firing the weapon over the head of the 31-year-old woman.
A jury convicted Richard Wright, 31, of Plazaview Court, earlier this month of one count of felonious assault and three counts of kidnapping in the June 20 assault on his girlfriend.
Wright was facing three to 38 years in prison upon sentencing by Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Wright, accompanied by his attorney James Vivo, appeared before Judge Evans for sentencing Wednesday afternoon. He said little during the hearing only saying “I’m innocent” when the judge asked if he would like to make a statement.
The victim was present in court during sentencing but refused to make a statement.
Carla Baldwin Fields, an assistant county prosecutor, asked the court to impose a sentence of eight years for the felonious assault and 10 years for each kidnapping charge to run concurrently — but consecutive to the felonious-assault sentence.
“Mr. Wright put the victim in fear for her life,” Baldwin Fields said. “No woman should have to run from her home in fear of her life from someone she trusted.”
Vivo asked the court to impose a lesser sentence, saying that his client had been convicted of only one previous felony. He said Wright plans to appeal the conviction.
Prosecutors say Wright became angry after the woman received a telephone call from a man she used to date.
Wright then drove the woman from her home to a wooded area on the city’s East Side, discharged a handgun directly past her face and returned her to her residence. Wright also put the handgun in the victim’s mouth.
Judge Evans noted Wright’s demeanor during the trial and sentencing hearing.
“You have not shown any remorse, none whatsoever, not during trial and not during these proceedings,” the judge said before passing sentence.
Judge Evans sentenced Wright to eight years on each of the kidnapping charges to be served concurrently and two years on the felonious-assault charge to be served consecutive to the kidnapping sentence.
Wright also was ordered to have no contact with the victim.